title: Effects of different information brochures on women's decision-making regarding mammography screening: study protocol for a randomized controlled questionnaire study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In order to give informed consent for mammography screening, women need to be told the relevant facts; however, screening information often remains vague because of the worry that detailed information might deter women from participating in recommended screening programs. Since September 2010, German women aged 50 to 69 invited for mammography screening have received a new, comprehensive information brochure that frankly discusses the potential benefit and harm of mammography screening. In contrast, the brochure that was in use before September 2010 contained little relevant information.The aim of this study is to compare the impact of the two different brochures on the intention of women to undergo mammography screening, and to broaden our understanding of the effect that factual information has on the women's decision-making.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a controlled questionnaire study comparing knowledge, views and hypothetical preferences of women aged 48-49 years after receiving the old versus the new information brochure. German GP's in the region of North Rhine-Westfalia will be asked by mail and telephone to participate in the study. Eligible women will be recruited via their general practitioners (GPs) and randomized to groups A ('new brochure') and B ('old brochure'), with an intended recruitment of 173 participants per group. The study is powered to detect a 15% higher or lower intention to undergo mammography screening in women informed by the new brochure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study will contribute to our understanding of the decision-making of women invited to mammography screening. From both ethical and public health perspectives, it is important to know whether frank, factual information leads to a change in the intention of women to participate in a recommended breast cancer screening program.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  DRKS00004271.
authors.affiliation: University of Duesseldorf, Medical Faculty, Institute of General Practice, Moorenstrasse 5, Dusseldorf D-40225, Germany. elisabeth.gummersbach@med.uni-duesseldorf.de.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gummersbach
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: in der Schmitten
authors.forename: Heinz-Harald
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Abholz
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wegscheider
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pentzek
mesh_terms: D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice; D005858:Germany; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D033182:Intention; D008327:Mammography / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010174:Pamphlets; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010358:Patient Participation; D012107:Research Design; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires